List of recurring TUGS characters

This is a list of recurring characters who appeared in the 1988 children's television series, TUGS.

Star Fleet

The Star Tugs Fleet (L-r): Warrior, Big Mac, Sunshine, Top Hat, Ten Cents, O.J. and Hercules

The Star Fleet are considered the show's protagonists, who aim to work together to achieve contracts in the port. They are led by Captain Star. The designs of the fleet are similar to the colours of the United States flag, using a red funnel with blue and white stripes around the top. Each member of the fleet also carries a red flag with a white star. The fleet, in order of smoke stack number, are as follows:

Ten Cents

Ten Cents is the most prominent member of the Star Fleet. Appears in every episode, and usually has a significant role.

Ten Cents is Captain Star's first tug, a "harbour switcher" who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Ten Cents' capabilities range from the towing of barges to liner docking operations - though not on his own; this job is carried out by the whole fleet. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Ten Cents is based on the tugs of San Francisco from the 1920s, and his name reflects his American origins.

Ten Cents is one of the younger Star Tugs. He is strong willed and it takes a lot to break him. He is quick-witted and takes action swiftly without hesitation. He never lets other tugs bully him and never fails to stand up for others. He is always willing to set aside his own safety for the sake of others.

Unlike the other tugs of Bigg City, Ten Cents' whistle/hooter was modelled to resemble a face complete with a red flat-cap like Sunshine's - its tone is strident but middle-pitched and Ten Cents almost always sounds it in a quick double-or-triple-bursts - the audience's attention was focused on this whistle in the episode 'Jinxed' when it seemed that the sound triggered Boomer's accidents.

Ten Cents works mainly with Sunshine, the Star Fleet's second and smaller switcher. They have shared many adventures, almost to the extent that it is impossible to imagine one without the other. Hercules often relies on Ten Cents to look after others such as Lillie or the Duchess.

Despite being based on an American tug, like most of the Tugs characters he speaks with a British accent. Specifically, he has a strong east end cockney accent.

He is voiced by Simon Nash. In the series Salty's Lighthouse, which reused episodes of Tugs, he was voiced by Ian James Corlett. Also in Salty's Lighthouse, his sister was Sunshine (who was rendered as female).

Although Tugs did not officially have a lead character, Ten Cents was the closest the series came to one. Ten Cents had the same model basis as Zip and Zug did. He was also the tug depicted in the TUGS logo.

Big Mac

Big Mac is Captain Star's second tug, a "harbour tug" who sports a distinctively broad Glaswegian accent. He is used for a variety of tasks around Bigg City Port, usually the ones involving heavy loads, as he is a very strong tug. He works mainly with Warrior, another very strong tug, who looks a lot like him- he has the same large face and blue flat cap- but is younger. Big Mac is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s, and his name doesn't have any connection with McDonald's famous trademark. His name is more likely to derive from the fact that he is big, and speaks with a broad Scottish accent.

Big Mac can come across a rude and stubborn tug, but he has a heart of gold, despite his tendencies to be macho, gruff and tough at times. He is very much willing to set aside his own safety for the sake of others, and usually (but not always) remains level-headed when implementing a strategy.

Big Mac is without a doubt an essential character to tugs, he is, after all, one of the strongest tugsof the fleet and despite his sometimes abrasive manners, he can be kind and gentle. He is always willing to help out someone in trouble, and uses his great strength to help wherever he can.

Big Mac is voiced by British actor Nigel Anthony, who also voices: Zebedee, Hercules and the Fire Tug.

In Sunbow's Salty's Lighthouse Big Mac's name was changed to "Big Stack" and was played by Paul Dobson.

O.J.

O.J. is a "paddle-driven" "harbour tug", the only one of his kind remaining in Bigg City Port, and Captain Star's eldest tug. He is often described as "versatile, but slow". He is indeed capable of a variety of tasks, but is sometimes restricted by his age and mechanical condition. As Captain Star said in the episode "Quarantine", "he had given many years of good service, but time was catching up on him".

Prior to an overhaul during the year of the 'heat wave', in the same episde, O.J.'s aged engine was the cause for a number of mishaps, including an accident that resulted in the sinking of the Fulton Ferry. O.J.'s weakness and age has often placed him on the receiving end of jokes and insults from Star Tugs and Z-Stacks alike. For a period, he was the primary target of Burke and Blair, the evil scrap-dealing Tugs who made several attempts to persuade Captain Star into selling O. J. and his engine for a cheap price. But after O.J.'s quick thinking prevented Ten Cents from having to enter Quarantine, Captain Star firmly sent the scavengers packing, and had O.J. overhauled.

As the Star Fleet's "wise elder", O.J. possesses unbeatable wisdom. He has extensive knowledge and experience of harbour life and manoeuvres, and because of this, Captain Star often places him in charge of some operations, such as ocean liner docking maneuvers. On various occasions, O.J. has demonstrated his ability to devise swift and clever strategies to help himself and his fellow Stars out of predicaments. He does not stand for nonsense, and is quick to correct the younger tugs if they make mistakes. Despite his occasionally harsh approach, O.J. cares for his brothers as a grandparent would for their grandchildren.

O.J. could not be called a leading character in the series- the only episode where he played a major role was "Quarantine", but he appeared in every episode, even if he only had one line.

He speaks with a Welsh accent. He is voiced by British actor Timothy Bateson. In Salty's Lighthouse he was voiced by Ian James Corlett, and renamed to the more commonplace sounding "Otis".

Chris Tulloch noted that OJ's model was one of the most reliable. This may have been for many reasons. But, according to Tulloch, the vast majority of main characters (those with machinery inside them) would often threaten to "turn turtle" and would have to be fixed firmly to a chassis to keep them upright. However, due to O.J.'s paddle-wheels, he rarely had this balance problem. The chassis was still used on O.J. to keep him from bobbing up and down like a toy boat.

The model was later rebuilt and used in the series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends as a prop for harbour scenes, making O.J. the only Star Tug to appear in TTTE. However, it only made random cameos on the narrow gauge railway and disappeared after the fifth season.

Top Hat

Top Hat is Captain Star's fourth tug, a "railway tug", an uppity and snobbish character with a monocle and an Upper Class (Posh English) accent who looks down on everyone, both his friends and his foes, believing that he is the best tug in the Star Fleet.

Although he tries to avoid any job that will make his paint dirty, he is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port, mainly distributing railway rolling stock with his barges Frank and Eddie. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Top Hat is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s, although he also resembles John-A.-Dialogue-&-Sons-built New York Central Tugboat 13, which is also a railway tug. His name derives from his trademark hat. Despite his problem with dirty jobs he is often used to tow Lord Stinker the garbage barge in episodes such as High Tide or Warrior. In High Tide he gained a great respect for the barge. Yet in other episodes he complains about the garbage itself, and often teases Warrior for his garbage smell.

Aside from his snobbish personality, Top Hat's most distinguishing feature is his elevated wheelhouse - it's this feature that distinguishes him as a railway-tug, as real tugs built to haul railroad rolling stock on barges had equally high wheelhouses to allow their pilots and crews to see over the top of their high loads. Unlike his real-world counterparts however, Top Hat can bob his wheelhouse up and down, giving his model an extra element of movement which was often used for dramatic or comedic purposes.

Top Hat intensely dislikes doing dirty work, and clearly goes to lengths to avoid it- in the episode "High Tide", Big Mac remarks that Top Hat always wriggles out of nasty jobs - ironically, as it turns out, for Top Hat is forced to take a garbage barge to the city dump in that same episode.

Top Hat, like O.J., could not be called a leading character - his only starring role was in the episode "High Tide", when he prevented a nasty accident. But he appeared in most episodes, even if he only had one line.

He was voiced by John Baddeley. In Salty's Lighthouse, he and Hercules are Voiced by Long John Baldry.

Warrior

Warrior is Captain Star's fifth tug, who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Warrior usually works with his brother, Big Mac. He often is clumsy but tries not mess up.

His capabilities range from the towing of barges, mainly that of Lord Stinker, (a garbage barge who is an associate of Warrior's, though Top Hat has to deliver him to the garbage depot in the episode "High Tide") to major liner docking operations, including Princess Alice and The Duchess. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Warrior is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s. His name is ironic, as he is not much of a fighter. In some scenes it seems as though he has a bit of hair sticking out from under his cap.

He works mainly with Big Mac, whom he resembles in some respects - he has the same large face and blue flat cap, but looks and sounds younger. When he is surprised, he often says "Sufferin' Stacks!".

Again, mainly plays a supporting role, but has one episode named after him, and also plays a fairly important role in the episode "Up River".

He is voiced by Sean Barrett. In Salty's Lighthouse, he's voiced by Michael Donovan.

Hercules

Hercules is Captain Star's largest vessel, an "ocean-going" tug who is often used for large-scale operations and important contracts. During periods of bad weather he is out at sea answering distress calls, and is often sent out to escort large vessels into the port. He is often considered to be one of the fleet's main leaders, and is often placed in charge of large operations. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Hercules is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s. He shares his name with the commonly known mythological figure (see Hercules), although he may have been named after the well-known British war vessel, HMS Hercules. The most likely basis for his name however is the Ocean-Going Tug Hercules, a 1907 with an identical hull and superstructure, based in San Francisco, the same city on which TUGS' crew drew inspiration for the Star Fleet.

Character-wise, Hercules is a cool-headed fighter. He speaks with a clear, soft tone and a politically correct (P.C.) English accent, but his words are often hard. Nothing can break him and not even the antics of the Z-Stacks and Bluenose can set him back. He is held in high regard by most of the tugs in the harbour, and even Zorran knows that he cannot win a confrontation with Hercules. Hercules is famously known for referring to his fellow Star Tugs as "ma' dears", "darling" and "sweet-heart". He is the only TUGS character to have sideburns. He is recognised for his 'discreet' relationship with Lillie Lightship, and his 'lady's man' persona.

Hercules makes various appearances in selected episodes across the series. He is not seen as often as the other Star Tugs, mainly because he is often away winning contracts or on errands at sea. He is voiced by British actor Nigel Anthony. In Salty's Lighthouse he and Top Hat are voiced by Long John Baldry.

Sunshine

Sunshine is Captain Star's seventh tug, a small "harbour switcher" who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Sunshine was introduced in the pilot episode of the same name. He has many capabilities that range from the towing of barges to liner docking operations, in his first assignment from the Star Fleet he was pushed by evil Z-stack Zorran who caused the whole thing to be a disaster. Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Sunshine is based on the tugs of San Francisco waters from the 1920s.

Sunshine can be occasionally cheeky at times, but he is very strong willed nethertheless. He is quick-witted and takes action swiftly without hesitation (usually).

Sunshine also can figure things out very quickly, as in "Jinxed" where he points out that each of jinxed tug Boomer's unfortunate mishaps occurs right after Ten Cents sounds his steam hooter, suggesting a cause-and-effect relationship. On the subject of whistles, Sunshine's is middle-to-high pitched and has a distinct 'whooping' sound which could best be described as 'upbeat', suiting his personality and name.

Sunshine has a rather soft Newcastle (or Geordie) accent and (most of the time) he whistles when he speaks, because he is missing some of his front teeth.

Sunshine is voiced by British actor, playwright and screenwriter Shaun Prendergast. In the US series Salty's Lighthouse, which reused edited episodes of Tugs, Sunshine was portrayed as female (along with Captain Star and Little Ditcher), and was also supposed to be Ten Cents' sister, voiced by Andrea Libman. Though Salty's Lighthouse seems to be retconed with TUGS. He also made a small cameo in Theodore Tugboat (Rob Cardona's other tugboat series) when the Harbour Master received cookies from his mother and the cookies looked like Sunshine.

Grampus

Grampus is a midget submarine once owned by the navy. He is a close friend of the Star Fleet and has helped them out in various situations. He appeared for the first time in the episode "Pirate", in which he helped to prove Ten Cents' innocence, when he was accused of stealing barges. In the episode "Regatta", he was nearly blown up by Bluenose the obnoxious naval tug, having been branded as 'too old' for further service. He speaks with a Central English accent (with a noticeable lisp).

He was thankfully swiftly rescued by the Star Fleet. On the same day, he was bought by Captain Star and joined the Star Tugs as their first submarine. Grampus also has a tendency to blow water in the tug's faces, mostly at Bluenose in "Regatta/4th of July".

Grampus was voiced by British actor Lee Cornes.

In Salty's Lighthouse he was voiced by American voice actor Brad Swaile.

In the Japanese version he was voiced by Sakurako Kishiro.

Grampus is probably based on a Plunger-class submarine torpedo boat and is probably named after the USS Grampus (SS-4) which was a Plunger class submarine.

Captain Star

Captain Star is the most prominent character in the whole series, due to the fact that he narrates it, doing so in the past tense, and in a way makes it clear that he is no longer at the helm of the fleet, and since the 1920s he has retired. It is unknown whether he is looking back from the actual time the program was released (late eighties) or before, neither is it known who he is recounting his memories to. He narrates all thirteen episodes.

He is obviously a veteran sailor and owns the Star Fleet. He always appears as a loudhailer in the window of the Star dock building. He takes great pride in his fleet, but he knows that it is important to be hard on them in order to succeed. He is usually very defiant and is always very strict if something doesn't go as shipshape as it's supposed too. He has seven tugs and one submarine (from 4 July onwards), they are: Ten Cents (1), Big Mac (2), O.J. (3), Top Hat (4), Warrior (5), Hercules (6), Sunshine (7) and Grampus (submarine).

Captain Star is performed by veteran voice actor Patrick Allen.

In Salty's Lighthouse the captain was actually a female character along with Sunshine and Little Ditcher, being voiced by Lenore Zann.

Z-Stacks

The Z-Stacks are devious, tricky and scheming boats. They are always finding ways to hinder and infuriate the Star Tugs, their great rivals. As such, they are the main villains of the series.

The Z-Stacks (l-r): Zak, Zebedee, Zug, Zorran and Zip

Zorran

Zorran

Zorran is perhaps the most devious and well-known of all the Z-Stacks and he is Captain Zero's first tug. He is the fleet's leader. Like Big Mac and Warrior and his Z-Stack companions Zak and Zebedee, he is a "harbour tug".

He is a scheming and evil tug and his lackeys (who are usually Zug and Zip) do his dirty work to keep him happy. He has a love/hate relationship with tramp steamer Izzy Gomez. Like the rest of the Z-Stack Fleet, Zorran is based on the tugs of Moran fleet from the 1920s. He speaks with a neutral English accent (with lashings of Cockney). Although he is a steam-driven tug, his deep, aggressive whistle sounds more like the air-horns fitted to modern diesel locomotives, trucks and ships.

He has a major roles in most episodes, and a majority of stories focus on him as a leading, scheming villain in some way. Although he is undoubtedly the smartest of the Z-Stacks, his plans usually end up backfiring - either through the incompetence of the other Z-Stacks or through his own overconfidence. He doesn't appear to be afraid of anyone other than Hercules, and has even been known to show insolence to his boss, Captain Zero.

Despite his malign characteristics, there is a very good reason for Zorran's role as leader of the Z-Stacks - he's easily the most competent and (when not scheming) sensible of the fleet, best shown in the episode 'Munitions' when he was given responsibility for overseeing a large delivery of explosives. Zorran ensured the other Zs followed all correct safety precautions and saw that the job was carried out efficiently. Later at the Naval Pool he sided with OJ when arguing with the officious navy Tug Bluenose over common sense vs. orders, and when a massive fire broke out was concerned enough to urge rival tug Ten Cents to get out of the danger zone. True to his more opportunistic nature however Zorran then sat back to enjoy the impromptu fireworks display as the naval tramp steamer Krakatoa blew itself apart.

Zorran is voiced by the series' art director, Chris Tulloch, although he was not credited as such. In Salty's Lighthouse Zorran's voice was done by two different actors. First Scott McNeil and later Kirby Morrow.

Zebedee

One of the devious Z-Stacks, he is Captain Zero's second tug, a who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Like the rest of the Z-Stacks, Zebedee is based on the tugs of the Moran fleet from the 1920s. He speaks with a Liverpudlian accent.

Zebedee is one of the more complex characters in TUGS, mean and vindictive on the outside, but on the inside there is much to his personality. In the episode 'High Winds' his guilty conscience proves he has good in him, when he helps the Star fleet tow the liner Princess Alice.

According to sources, Zebedee is voiced by British actor Nigel Anthony, who provides the voices of Big Mac and the fire tug.

In the animated series Salty's Lighthouse Zebedee later became a nice Z-stack and was voiced by Ian James Corlett. It was previously thought that his name was changed, but since it remained visible on his hull, it seems that the producers interpreted it wrong. On Salty's Lighthouse, his name was always pronounced as "Zeebee".

Following the conclusion of the TUGS series in 1989, Zebedee's model was shown in the Thomas and Friends episode Something in the Air (Season Five) along with Zip, as two of the tugs who helped Henry after a water accident.

Zak

Zak is the third member of Captain Zero's Z-Stack fleet, he was used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Zak's main role was that of a flunky to the devious Zorran and is usually seen working with his companion Zebedee. Like the rest of the Z-Stacks, Zak is based on the tugs of the Moran fleet from the 1920s, although he bears a resemblance to the tugboats Baltimore and Luna. He is a thuggish character, often aggressive and threatening. Publicity material for the series indicated that he saw himself as a potential leader of the Z-Stacks.

Zak's most prominent appearance was in 'High Tide', when he and Zebedee competed with Big Mac and Warrior for a big steel contract. Engine trouble that Zak had neglected to get treated however forced the two Zs to take a shortcut through Bigg City's canal network - what Zak saw as a very clever idea however resulted in disaster when Zebedee's tall load struck and collapsed a railway bridge.

Zak is voiced by British actor, animator and modeller Shaun Prendergast who provided the distinctive voice of Sunshine.

He speaks with a gruff cockney accent. In TLC's Salty's Lighthouse, he speaks with a Brooklyn accent done by Terry Klassen.

Zug

Zug is Captain Zero's fourth tug, a "harbour switcher" who is used for a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Zug's capabilities range from the towing of barges to liner docking operations. Like the rest of the Z-Stacks, Zug is based on the tugs of the Moran fleet from the 1920s. He speaks with an Eastern European accent (thought to be Estonian).

Zug is a scheming and vindictive tug, he mainly works with Zip and is the "brains" of the operation, whereas Zip tends to be rather, herm, and slow. Zug is obviously intimidated by the main Z-Stack Zorran and has a tendency to be somewhat nervous and jittery around him. Zug and Zip are the Z-Stack equivalents of Ten Cents and Sunshine, in that they are the smaller tugs of the fleet, who work together, and they are often plotting against the other two. Zug seems not to be all that smart, but compared to Zip he's a genius!

Zug has a major roles in most episodes, and a majority of stories focus on him as a major character in some way.

He is voiced by Mike Mulloy In the American children's TV series Salty's Lighthouse he was voiced by two different actors. First Scott McNeil and later Kirby Morrow.

Zip

Zip is Captain Zero's second "harbour switcher". He works, nearly always, with Zug and together they are often used to win minor contracts (such as the freighting of quarried boulders) and other such duties. Like the rest of the Z-Stack fleet, Zip is based on the Moran tugs of New York. He speaks with a neutral English accent.

His head is often in the clouds, and he is well known for being a coward. He is easily scared and sometimes speaks out of turn. He is very quick to back down when engaging in an argument, and is easily dominated. Zip is often described as being 'slow in the head', for it will often take him a while to catch onto things, even basic terms and phrases like devious. He is mostly left out of plans, but may come up with his own, screwing up the original.

Whilst Zip and Zug are a similar wavelength, and have often been compared with Ten Cents and Sunshine, Zug is much more skeptical of the pair, whilst Zip is quite the opposite. He will often follow along with Zug's plans in any situation, even if the concept of doing so causes him to lose his nerves. Zug often takes advantage of Zip's naivety to keep himself out of danger. Zip is not seen as often as the other Z-Stacks, though his roles in various episodes have always brought much-needed comic relief.

He is voiced by John Baddeley. In Salty's Lighthouse he was voiced by Ian James Corlett.

Captain Zero

Captain Zero is Captain Star's main rival, and he is owner of the Z-Stacks/Zero Fleet. Like Captain Star, he only ever appears as a speaker/microphone in the window of the Zero dock building. He speaks with a Orcadian accent.

Very little is known about him, although it is often implied that he has a criminal gangster background, especially in the episode High Winds which featured Johnny Cuba. He is always looking for ways of getting ahead of Captain Star, and will often resort to 'devious' ways in order to do so.

His five tugs fear him greatly and follow orders obediently.

He is voiced by Mike Mulloy. In Salty's Lighthouse he was voiced by American Actor French Tickner.

Other notable characters

Izzy Gomez

Izzy Gomez is a large tramp steamer from Mexico and a regular sight in Bigg City Port, bringing in large loads of imported bananas.

Distinguishable by his stereotypical Mexican accent and sombrero, Izzy is infamous for trying (and failing) to convince the tugs to give him a cheap tow into port. Izzy is fickle - on the rare occasions when he is offered a tow, he declines - this is seen in the episode "Warrior". He succeeded in getting a tow only once, in the episode "Ghosts", when Zorran, frightened of sailing alone, agreed to tow him in for free. He has landed himself in various troublesome situations - in the episode "Warrior", he attempted to come in without a tow, and ran aground - but once redeemed himself by testifying on Sunshine's behalf when the latter was accused of sabotaging a liner docking operation. During his time in Bigg City Port, Izzy has been subjected to ghosts and potential sinking. He is close friends with Warrior of the Stars, and appears to have a love/hate relationship with Zorran. On his hull he comes from a place that is in Spanish but in English it means big port. Maybe sort of equal to bigg city.

Izzy also appeared on some episodes of Thomas and Friends but without a face and a hat.

According to sources, Izzy is voiced by Mike Mulloy.

In Salty's Lighthouse he was voiced by French Tickner.

Lillie Lightship

Lillie Lightship is a special and much-loved lightship, placed at Dender Rocks to warn shipping of potential hazard. The Star Fleet have the contract to provide her with the necessary fuel to keep her light shining. She is also good friends with the Star Tugs, and tries to be nice to the Z-Stacks, but they rarely reciprocate.

She appeared for the first time in a small cameo role in "Sunshine", although she had more important roles in later episodes, particularly "Bigg Freeze", when they needed her light to guide Vienna, a beautiful ocean liner. Hercules appears to have 'a special place in his heart' for Lillie.

Her voice actress in the original show is unknown. In Salty's Lighthouse she was voiced by Venus Terzo; and in the Japanese version she was voiced by Sakurako Kishiro, who also voiced Grampus.

See also

• List of minor TUGS characters